An awesome band! Fronted by brothers Ron and Russell. Hard to describe their music but in this era they could be seen as the missing link between Gilbert & Sullivan and Queen, yet they are so much more. Later they went on to be one of the pioneers of synth pop. They haven't stopped producing utterly unique music since the 60's and have remained consistently inventive throughout.
This happened to me in person last time they were in Chicago a couple of years ago. He did the stare and I had to turn away and I couldn't stop laughing. Ron is the best!
Welcome to the wonderful, quirky and intriguing world of Sparks. Actually, I lost track of Sparks for 20 years but I am working my way back through the years. Great band, not surprising that they are one of Weird Al's inspirations.
And at least 79 other celebs, Edgar Wright interviewed 80 for his documentary on Sparks. ('The Sparks Brothers', premiered on the Sundance Festival 2021, will be available in Europe later this year.)
Nice you dared to listen to this group - brave. Studied as a teacher in 1974 and was an intern at a boarding school, where I had an evening event where I presented new music - and I presented SPARKS and their new album Kimono my House, and there was nothing like that in 1974 - well maybe The Who played a bit like that. Have later heard that it was prelude to what later was called New Wave. Had all their albums on vinyl (now MP3). Very fond of the brothers quirky sound. I thjink they are still playing.
The Number One Song In Heaven would be great to react to. Thanks for a Sparks reaction. Your eyes at the beginning were ours as well when we first heard them.
"He", I guess that's Russell? Russell was born 1948, October 5. Ron his brother, keyboardist and the other half of Sparks was born 1945, August 12. Do your own math. Well, Russell doesn't reach as high as in the seventies - nineties anymore, but when I saw them two years ago he missed ONE note during the 100 minutes, and that wasn't even a high one. Still going strong! Releasing a new album 'A Steady Drip Drip Drip' in May 15 (due to Covid-19 only digital that date), and if the Covid-19 😠😡allows, a tour in Europe in October.
I manage Sparks Fan Group on Facebook, and somebody just posted this video clip on there. This is a classic, and I reckon your stare is just as scary as Ron's when the camera panned onto him playing keyboards. Good on you for turning on some of the youngies onto them! :)
The important thing is understanding that underlying it all is humor. The phrase "this town isn't big enough for the both of us" is an old movie phrase often used in westerns and leading to a duel in the center of town. The band is using it to joke around because the lyrics talk about being cleaned up after bathing and silly. It means nothing. Just funny.
That intro is stunningly punk. When the guitar comes in.. Your reaction is like my 13 year old's when i played her it also.. Stunningly cool. What a time to be alive. BTW my kid also does dances like Jagger like he does here..
Been a fan since 1979. Indiscreet is my favourite album amongst many great albums of theirs. Can't wait for their new one 'a steady drip, drip, drip' in may. And their new film 'annette' and also edgar wrights documentary about them.
I saw them at an outdoor concert south of Austin Texas back in 1983. Seriously, I tell you, they had the best act in rock I ever saw and I never saw an audience as big as there having so much fun. The two brothers, Ron and Russell, have been performing since 1969. They've lost a lot of their edginess but hey, those guys are in there 70s now. I still love them tho. They were one of the most popular acts in Europe for several years but never really broke big here. They've done alright for themselves, tho.
The band often had witty lyrics on bizarre subjects. For example "Here In Heaven" has a line "Here there are many many sheep And the people only sleep And awake to tell how gory and gruesome was their end" ;)
Continues: And I don't have many friends And it's really clean and I'm thinking (CHORUS) Up here in heaven without you I'm here in heaven without you Up here in heaven without you It is hell, knowing that your health Will keep you out of here For many many years... Listen instead, lyrics in the comments 😉 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-t9_ZTiKsAcw.html
Rosemary Clooney, George Clooney's aunt, was a singer and had a song called 'Come On-A My House'. So the album title is a play on that. This was Sparks first hit song. They have stayed semi-popular since then with over 20 albums. They put an new album out just a year or two ago. Edgar Wright is doing a documentary about them. Should be out this year. They toured last year. I think the two brothers and in their seventies now. Try 'Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)' for a recent song of theirs.
A real gem from the 70s glam rock scene. I've loved this since first hearing it in my early teens way too back then. It still sounds fresh, interesting and fabulous some 40 odd years later
First recording made in January 1967! Not released until in November last year (2019) on 'Past Tense, The Best of Sparks'. It's called 'Computor Girl' (only that, 1967!!) and has a comment on the track "(Yes, it has crackles on it. Thank you.)" 😂 It's on RU-vid, check it out! 😁
What a song what a band. Still going strong yet in their 70s now. Due to see them early next year in Manchester UK delayed due to Covid. Cant wait always brilliant live.
When John Lennon was watching Top Of The Pops in the UK He watched Sparks performing. He phoned George Harrison. He said it's Hitler and Jim Morrison on telly.
I remember the first time I heard that song. It started off as nothing out of the ordinary and then Russell Mael's voice came in "Zoo time is she and you time" and the hairs literally stood up on the back of my arm. Very rarely happens - but it looks as though you had the same reaction to it as I did.
Thanks reacting to Sparks nobody Rex Sparks to my favorite band from 1974 got all her albums my friend John Thomas ended up producing two of their albums one was called a little Beethoven which is a great album
Your eyes said it all for a first timer, "WTF👀😲 is this who are they???", Then you started listening....."ahhhh I get it now......his voice,....🤯 The same as us in the 70's. Time travel does exist 🤔
There's a book called 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, that's how I discovered this album. I also discovered Nick Drake, Kate Bush, Tim and Jeff Buckley from that book too
Wow... this really takes me back! Sparks, with Russell Mael on vocals, Martin Gordon on bass guitar, Adrian Fisher on lead guitar, Norman "Dinky" Diamond on drums and a young Adolf Hitler, aka Ron Mael, on keyboard! Classic! 😱 😉😃 xxx
Not Adolf though. He wore that mustache as a sort of tribute to Charlie Chaplin. It was on already on the cover for their first album as 'Halfnelson' 1971 (re-issued as 'Sparks' when they changed their name) together with a big lång hair! THAT look could scarred anyone 😂😂😂
Easily written off because of their odd personalities and quirky lyrics, the brothers Mael have produced a wealth of unique and musically adventurous songs. I've been a fan since the mid 70s and they continue to surprise and entertain me to this day.
'Exotic Creatures' is such a disc: the lyrics are multidimensional - with the songs arranged as a loose concept album! 'Strange Animal' hints at the concept ...
Massive props to the dedication Sparks have. a few (10?) years ago they took residencies at a venue and each night played the entirety of one album plus any b side cuts from singles that came from those albums. Live.... every. single. album. (17 albums, i think)
21 albums, all together. It was for the release of 'Exotic Creatures Of The Deep' 2008. They played one entirely album, chronological, + an hour or so of songs the audience had voted for on their website, up to the 21st, 'Exotic Creatures Of The Deep'. The 20 first evenings were at Carlington Academy, and the great release concert, the 21st, took place at Shepard's Bush Empire, London, England. This event is mostly called just "The 21x21" but "Sparks Spectacular" was the more official name. A two hours concert every night, for three weeks. 🥵 AND I AM SO JEALOUS OF ALL PEOPLE WHO GOT TO BE THERE! 😭😭😭😭 Not that I begrudge them, I just madly wish that I had been there too 😥
@@annabackman3028 You and me both, Anna. i knew about it thru their advert in the Bloc Electronic Music Weekender brochure ( i played that year ;) ), a bunch of us older muso's were freakin out on it... .. but i spent so much money at the weekender i couldn't afford the Spectacular as it was the next week or two after Bloc. :(
I had almost forgotten about them, played 'Kimono My House' and 'Propaganda' once in a while, loved the music and Russell's voice. Rediscovered them just when they released 'Hippopotamus' 2017... I have become addictive. I just love them 🤩 💖
Sparks: Ron and Russell Mael. Brothers, born 1945 and 1948 in Los Angeles, CA. 1971, as 'Halfnelson' they released a selfnamed album. 1972 they changed their name to Sparks and re-issued the album as Sparks. The same year came 'A woofer in a tweeter's clothing'. 1973 they had better response in England, and moved there, wrote new songs, put together a new band and had some air time on TV. 1974, January; 'Kimono My House' with the hit 'This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us' is released. In November came 'Propaganda'. "The rest is history" as they say 😀 Now in May 2020 they'll release their 24th studio album 'A Steady Drip Drip Drip' from which they have pre-released three songs already. 'I'mToast' ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-owGPg8nVQ8k.html 'Self-effacing' ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WkEAhNJC-zE.html are two of them. A fourth will be out to night 7-8 PM GMT. 😍
They've had a number of other hits than this one and "Cool Places" like "Amateur Hour", "Looks Looks Looks", "Big Boy", "Beat The Clock", "I Predict", "When Do I Get To Sing My Way?", "Now That I Own The BBC" and "When I'm With You". But none of them have charted higher than "This Town".
I bought this album in 1974 strictly because of the album cover )and because my friends thought it looked stupid). I'd never heard of them. This track alone made me a lifelong fan.
Hahhh, finally somebody reacts to a group I loved in the early seventies in my home town in Central America, very funny, after that clip the channel used to show another funny one: Alex harvey Band with "Delilah", thanks, cheers from Xela, Guatemala.
I think Russell Mael was trained as an opera singer. I heard them sing this live a few years ago, and he can still hit those notes--I think he was 68 years old. Amazing.
Mad the first time you hear it and somehow mad the last. The combination of rock and cod operatic vocalisation was not unique at the time (progressive rock had made it somehow fashionable, whether in the form of Queen or even Focus) but the combination of the sound and the weird stage division between Russell and Ron Mael lodges strangely in the memory.
WMMS in Cleveland played this on Election Day in 1977. Perhaps the only time I ever heard it on American commercial radio. Plus in that context it explains the significance of the song, India.
This song is about someone in everyday experiences whose anxiety escalates their perception to a worst-case scenario."Heartbeat. Increasing heartbeat" is the transition between the two mindsets.
Sparks is such a unique band. Mainly compromised by two brothers, the singer & keyboard player. They have a vast amount of intriguing music and were one of the groundbreakers for new wave. Check out: "I Predict" and "Sherlock Holmes" both from 1982 You'll be surprised to hear tracks like Sherlock Holmes sounds like modern alt rock.
Started listening to these guys in the mid 70s Indiscrete definitely out of the left field.In the last year or two went on their 50th anniversary tour.
I was about 6 or 7 when this song came out and they freaked me out when I saw them on TV. Soon grew to love it. Ron (on keys) is actually really sweet and very funny. Their 2020 album 'A Steady, Drip, Drip, Drip' was one of the very best of their career. Check out songs like Left Out In The Cold.
There's a new documentary just released about the band, THE SPARKS BROTHERS, directed by Edgar Wright of SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD and BABY DRIVER fame, that goes through their history in a very thorough and entertaining way. I think you'll dig it; at the very least it may give you some more reaction ideas.
